I've been waiting for this day for a while. My car was new so I decided to break it in before doing any modifications. Except music, already dumped in about 2K worth of electrogizometry. What can I say, "If it's too loud you're too old!" Plus Slayer double bass is a good back massage! So any ways, 4000 miles later I got my wish. Sadly the shop in Syracuse wasn't open, I'd get a before and after dyno if I could have. But since they're not... oh well. Going on BD only.
Received from Brenspeed the C&L cold air intake, and SCT Xcalibrator2 combo package. Free shipping, no tax. Gotta love the internet some times. I almost went with AltAuto but no 93 tune, plus many messages seem to state they're great for auto trans. I'm manual and wanted 93. Install was quick and easy. Flashed on the 93 tune. Some observations
Completely stock system: A little sluggish, throttle response seemed slightly delayed. Took a while to hit redline in any gear, including 1st. Efficiency is 30mpg interstate cruise control, about 20-22 with moderate city driving.
With CAI & 93 Tune: Simply revving the engine is faster, meaner sounding also. Throttle lag got the Houdini treatment because it disappeared. Redline is hit very shortly. The car itself just seems lighter, the front lifts up faster/easier during takeoff. Don't need a dyno to tell me how much this simple combo package alone makes a drastic improvement. However even with 93 tune, and talk of efficiency gains. My little mpg index doesn't show that. If anything even cruise control at 60mph the chart is showing more gas consumption.
Though more air = more gas. But also tune + higher octane means more power, so less gas needed to get same... bah. It's still only 20 miles worth of driving with this setup compared to 4K. I'll give it a while to see how the mpg reading goes. If the average jumps up or down.
Got some pictures to display the C&L goodness. Took side angles also, haven't seen any so figured some people might be interested in those.
Thats cool, hey do you like the brenspeed tunes? I wanted to go with Alternative originally but its outta my price range by a bit so im trying to decide either Evolution or Brenspeed.
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''05 Mineral Gray GT Coupe Premium Trim Shaker 1000, Leather, IUP
Team MF Member #028 Posts: 4191
Joined: 5/11/2005 From: Newark, DE USA Status: offline
quote:
Meph Completely stock system: A little sluggish, throttle response seemed slightly delayed. Took a while to hit redline in any gear, including 1st.
With CAI & 93 Tune: Simply revving the engine is faster, meaner sounding also. Throttle lag got the Houdini treatment because it disappeared. Redline is hit very shortly.
That's great to hear. Before I installed mine, I was concerned that I would be disappointed with the performance. But my car showed a definite improvement over stock. Like you said above, now my car just seems to spool up faster through the RPM range, and it seems like it has more low-end torque. I'm happy to hear that you are pleased with yours! Thanks for including pics, too.
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Best 60' .... 1.906 Best 1/8 ... 9.141 @ 76.29 Best 1/4 ... 14.312 @ 95.67
So far I like it, but I can't give a flat out "best thing since sliced bread." I'll need a good weeks worth of driving to see a full effect. See if it actually does help or hurt efficiency, and it so how much or just negligable (.1mpg isn't worth making a fuss over). I'll try my hardest to do "regular" driving. Though it's so tempting to just gun it.
But yes, RPM's faster and I get a that neck-snap feeling unlike before.
Is there much of a difference between the 87 and 93 octane tunes?
There's a definite difference between the 87 and 93 octane tunes from Brenspeed. I used the 93 tune for the last month or so but I decided the throttle was too "twitchy" and I just switched back to the 87 tune. Either one is a big improvement over stock! I need to try the 91 tune, too.
Haven't tried any other yet. 1/2 tank of 93 octane still. So far the average mpg isn't moving, which is at the very least good. Because I've been rippin on this sucker. I can't help it, as previously said the throttle lag being gone... it's twitchy. And city driving kinda sucks a little bit more. I need to let off on the clutch uber-slow or else the car is gone.
But out from city into open roads and it's great. I can slow down when somebody's turning in front of me, then nothing but road and sky in front and I try to catch it as fast as I can. I can't believe that this might only be making the mustang from mid 15 to high 14, it feels considerably faster. But that's all speculation from feel, obviously I think I now have a 10 second car Just temporary feeling I'm sure, as well as temporary twitchy pedal. Through time I will train the muscles and get used to it no doubt.
Though I'm close to Watkins Glenn, I almost want to break into that place and hit the track there. Not a strip but it'll be fun none the less.
So, say I buy this tuner, what says that I won't add another mod later on down the road? Will I have to retune the car for the new modification? Or will I have to have someone else do it for me? I can tear an engine apart and rebuild it np. I can't adjust computer stuff though, too many numbers and chances for damage. I read about one company that will email you a new setup if you tell them your new parts and stuff. Anybody know which brand that is? Also where do you get 93 octane fuel? I only see 92 here in San Angelo Texas.
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05 Mineral Grey GT Stick
"Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken."
Here in New York most all gas stations I come across are 87, 89, 93. I don't see 91 much anywhere. Though if I take a road trip I'd be afraid that I would need to knock it down to at least 89 oct. Just as a precaution, ya never know what you'll find or if a station will be out of higher octane. I would never dare run even 91 oct in my 93 tune. Detonations are only funny when it's the Coyote goin after the Road Runner.
As for the other part. You have a stock car, get a tuner, and down the road THEN get the CAI. Depending on the CAI, some don't need a tune, but most do. It's all about air/fuel mixture being correct with the new intake. I would imagine that you very much need a new tune. Brenspeed said that if I ever desire to buy other parts for my mustang that would require a new tune, that if I bought from them they'd update my tune for free. Otherwise it was about $100 for the updated tune. Anywhere else I don't know their policy, or their cost(s).
You can do whatever you want.... I ordered the CAI and XCal together, but the CAI was out of stock, so I asked Evo to put a 93 stock tune on my XCal and I ran with that for the two weeks I waited for the CAI to arrive. THen I loaded a CAI 93 tune.
Or, if you get them both at the same time, fill up with 93 gas, go home, install CAI, flash to 93 octane CAI tune... off you go...
So 1st you do an Tune than you ad the CAI and THAN you tune again?????!!!!?????
No I didn't do that, just answering that guys question. He was asking if he would need to update the tune if he gets a CAI.
The road you chose on how to tweek your car is up to you. You don't HAVE to buy a CAI with a tune, if you wish to keep it bone stock but only get a tuner that is perfectly fine. The removal of throttle lag alone is worth it. And honestly the engine sounds quite meaner with the CAI, and slightly deepend my exhaust.
Though next step will be a new axleback exhaust. Don't need to completely go cat-back for that entire 1hp gain it MIGHT give. Axelback will be well enough for my needs. However the problem is what muffler to chose. That some people say certain mufflers give a drone, but who knows maybe it's something that wouldn't bother me. Maybe it is. It's going to end up being a gamble when deciding which to choose.
I'm leaning Aeroturbine due to the most hp gain, but a resonator might be required. If only MRT had any info on their site but that seems not possible. And they don't like responding to emails so I'm going to have to call them.
I want to go with A C&L CAI so it does need a tune, I'm just asking if there are different say "87 Performance" tunes one for stock, and other for a CAI???????, ...I just want to do it at one, Get a CAI and a tune..........
There is, you'll just need to ask the company who you order from. I went brenspeed, but aa is a reliable choice, as is evo. Give them a call, see what they offer you and what you think would be best for your needs.
Update on performance. Finally have a decent amount of driving with this now, I've reset the average mpg and did both city stop/go, and back road cruising. Overall I actually got about a 2mpg increase from the CAI and tune combo. Almost +3mpg cruising at 65mph. So it's genuinly noticable. Not that adding $600 to cut back $0.10 on my gas bill is really my goal Heck it's not even a logical choice, it's all about performance.
But I went through MRT and ordered the Aeroturbine today. Hopefully by end of the week I'll have it. Because I have a roadtrip this weekend, would be nice to see how much that then increases performance/efficiency. And noise wise... meh. I'm taking a gamble and hoping that the "drone" isn't as bad as some say. But if all else fails can always get a resonator.
There is, you'll just need to ask the company who you order from. I went brenspeed, but aa is a reliable choice, as is evo. Give them a call, see what they offer you and what you think would be best for your needs.
Update on performance. Finally have a decent amount of driving with this now, I've reset the average mpg and did both city stop/go, and back road cruising. Overall I actually got about a 2mpg increase from the CAI and tune combo. Almost +3mpg cruising at 65mph. So it's genuinly noticable. Not that adding $600 to cut back $0.10 on my gas bill is really my goal Heck it's not even a logical choice, it's all about performance.
But I went through MRT and ordered the Aeroturbine today. Hopefully by end of the week I'll have it. Because I have a roadtrip this weekend, would be nice to see how much that then increases performance/efficiency. And noise wise... meh. I'm taking a gamble and hoping that the "drone" isn't as bad as some say. But if all else fails can always get a resonator.
The main thing to keep in mind with the MRT is to give it enough time to break in... Mine changed it's tone multiple times over a number of weeks... it just kept sounding better and better!
I did hear a car at MRT the other day that had a resonator... sounded really good... so if after you give the Aero-Turbine time to break in and your still not happy, i think a resonator will be your answer...
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Response from CAI & Tune - 
Plus Slayer double bass is a good back massage! So any ways, 4000 miles later I got my wish. Sadly the shop in Syracuse wasn't open, I'd get a before and after dyno if I could have. But since they're not... oh well. Going on BD only. 
I'll need a good weeks worth of driving to see a full effect. See if it actually does help or hurt efficiency, and it so how much or just negligable (.1mpg isn't worth making a fuss over). I'll try my hardest to do "regular" driving. Though it's so tempting to just gun it. 
